asked the Minister for Health if he will elaborate on his statements that generally lower income group patients will go to the doctor's own surgery and will receive their medicines from retail chemists' shops and that the means test will be altered so that only the income of a man and his spouse will be taken into consideration.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Health Services.
5.
With regard to the first part of the question, I would refer the Deputy to the statement which I made on introducing the Estimates for my Department yesterday.
The change in the method of assessing full eligibility is provided for in section 45 (2) of the Health Act, 1970.
When are the regulations likely, on a tentative basis?
I could not say exactly. We would hope to introduce the regulations any time before 1st April, 1971. That depends on progress made in implementing the Health Bill. It depends on the consent of the Minister for Finance.